A typical dry erase board includes a board or substrate that is commonly coated with Melamine, a synthetic polymer, an enamel or porcelain. Specially designed dry-erase pens and markers are used to write on a white board substrate having a marking composition that leaves a residual or colored pigment behind. While the solvent within the ink of the marker evaporates, the remaining residual powder does not directly bond to the surface, accordingly the writing can be easily removed with an eraser or cloth. In some cases a “ghost” image remains whereby a liquid cleaner may be required to remove remaining dry-erase residue.
The dry erase marking boards generally comprise a rigid substrate such as a fiber board or metal having a surface coated with a non-porous, hard material. While such boards are useful for temporarily recording information, a disadvantage of dry erase boards is their inability to easily integrate “fixed” data fields or other graphics. Furthermore, once permanently applied, it is somewhat difficult or even impossible to change or remove any indicia that has been previously applied directly to the surface of the white board. Therefore, there is a need for a dry erase board which includes a fixed design, graphics or similar indicia and which further enables the design, graphics or indicia to be easily changed or exchanged on a periodic basis.
The present invention relates to a method and a system for the use of a spring clamping frame that allows for the containment of media framed therein where the media is readily interchangeable from the front side. As used herein, the term media generally refers to flexible substrates or flat surfaced items such as prints, pictures, posters or placards that are positioned for viewing within a surrounding frame, where the frame provides a clamping mechanism about the periphery to hold the media and a transparent overlay or member.
In one embodiment, the frame includes a plurality of clamps attached along the periphery of a rigid backer board, each clamp having a spring biased frame member pivotally mounted thereto, both of which are generally extrusions. In the closed position, the media or substrate is retained by the resiliently biasing frame members partially extending over the very peripheral edge of the media item. Additionally, a transparent, semi-rigid overlay sheet is included over the media to protect it and to keep the relatively flimsy substrate in direct contact with the backer board. Once in position the media background shows through the clear overlay sheet, which now serves as a guide or means to organize the data as it is written in conjunction with the background media.
Disclosed in embodiments herein is a multi-layer information display system, comprising: a transparent member providing a writable first surface (e.g., planar); said first surface being suitable to receive a mark from a marking device (e.g., dry-erase marker); a flexible, printed substrate located behind and generally coplanar with said transparent member, said substrate comprising a moisture resistant material; and a rigid member, generally coplanar with said first member and said substrate, said rigid member having movable peripheral clamping members along or adjacent some or all of the edges thereof to engage and retain the transparent member and the substrate in contact therewith.
The writable display information is directly associated with the underlying fixed data fields of the template printed on a substrate. Therefore the first plane or substrate layer is viewed as write once, read many, whereas the transparent member provides an outer surface that is read/write erasable data within one or more of the data illustrated by the template behind it.
Within the health care industry there is a growing requirement for patient-specific, need-to-know information to be communicated to concerned parties, including the staff, family and most importantly the patient. Accordingly administrative information such as phone numbers, duty nurse, room number, date, restrictions, diet and the like are typically made available to the patient. However a unified presentation system has not been generally available within health-care or similar long-term care facilities to permit the exchange of information, including recording, retention and updating means.
One aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes a unique combination of components for assembly of a frame for the purpose of displaying a writeable panel for viewing. While the disclosed embodiments are directed to a one-sided, wall-mount application, it will be appreciated that various aspects of the disclosed system may also be applicable to free standing signs, including two-sided exhibit signs providing changeable display substrates. Such display arrangements being readily updateable and changeable are effective, economical and practical because they include a re-writable foreground combined with an easily changeable background.
The various embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the disclosure to those embodiments described. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments and equivalents set forth.